Many high-lift systems with movable flaps in civil and military aircraft are driven by way of a central drive unit located in the middle of an aircraft fuselage, which drive unit is also known as a power control unit, PCU, a transmission shaft train and local mechanical actuator devices on corresponding flap support stations of the movable flaps. The actuator devices are frequently designed as linear spindle drives or rotary drives. In addition, these known high-lift systems comprise safety brakes, for example so-called “wing tip brakes” (WTB), which go into action in certain instances. Usually, controlling and monitoring these high-lift systems takes place by means of digital on-board computers of the aircraft, for example by means of a so-called “slat flap control computer” (SFCC).
Based on the central drive unit, synchronicity between individual flaps of a left-hand and a right-hand wing half, as well as between the flaps of a wing half, is ensured mechanically by means of the transmission shaft train that extends through the fuselage and along the support stations. This transmission shaft train usually comprises a multitude of bearings, multiple tooth elements, universal joints and, for the purpose of bridging large changes in direction, in particular relating to the region from the fuselage centre to the wing halves or to the wing root region, corresponding angular gear arrangements. The central drive unit for flaps on a leading edge of the wing and for flaps on a trailing edge of the wing is, for example in the case of aircraft made by AIRBUS, installed in close proximity to the fuselage center line in the landing gear bay or in the region of the wing-fuselage fairing (“belly fairing”). In each case a central drive unit for the flaps of the leading edge of the wing, and a central drive unit for the flaps of the trailing edge of the wing are used. The respective central drive unit is usually driven by two motors that are active in parallel, with the drive output of said motors being transferred to the respective transmission shaft system by way of a differential, wherein several drive modes exist.
EP 1 462 361 B1 and U.S. Pat. No. 7,048,234 B2 show a flap system on the wing of a fixed wing aircraft, in which system flaps are coupled to synchronized wing-internal individual drives.
In addition, other objects, desirable features and characteristics will become apparent from the subsequent summary and detailed description, and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and this background.